The Mongol Rally - 12 countries, 10000 miles

On the 24th August 2011 Anthony Jackson, from Sinnis Motorcycles crossed the finish line of the 2011 Mongol Rally in Ulaanbaatar being the 1st motorcycle to cross the line 8 days ahead of schedule all on his Sinnis Apache 125!

Anthony says. “When I suggested this grueling trip, everyone thought I was joking, I planned it in just 6 weeks and decided to raise money for Leukemia Research. “Many thought I wouldn’t make it on a 125cc let alone one ‘built in China’ so to finish 1st in record time with zero failures says a lot about Sinnis and what we are about”.

Anthony’s trip was far from smooth with long waits at border crossings, bribery, long hot days and very difficult, demanding roads where he rode for 14 hrs a day crossing Western Europe, Ukraine, Russia through to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to reach the finish line 10,700 miles away.

Anthony’s Sinnis Apache took him to Mongolia in just over 3 weeks riding through as Anthony put’s it ‘horrific, dangerous roads’ down into valleys, crossing desert basins to mountains at 10,000 ft. He even crossed ten rivers one of which he fell in, submerging his bike and all 40 kg’s of his gear…

Anthony explains “there was no other way to cross & a local insisted I could do it, so I followed him across but it lead to another river and another then he fell in and I had to shut off my throttle so I got washed away by the current and the bike fell in 4 ft of water… I thought it was over but after I drained the airbox and carb she fired up once again; it was an amazing feeling when I thought my Apache was dead”.

“I rode alongside camels, children on horseback and met so many locals along the way all mesmerised by me and this bright orange motorcycle; I ate goat, swam naked, got attacked, bribed and threatened… I fell off 9 times one morning in sand and even went over the handlebars; it really was the adventure of a life time…”

The best moment was in the Altai Mountains sweeping through the beautiful scenery, scraping my engine bars on the tarmac with jade green rivers and snow topped mountains all around to the worst being stuck in a Russian city for 7 hours lost in 37 degree heat… I just ended up back where I started! My exhaust manifold was glowing red hot, I was exhausted and dehydrated; I thought my engine would melt but she just kept going!

Anthony’s Apache never failed him or let him down… “It was quite incredible the abuse the Apache was subjected too; I carried a spare shock mounted to the front and the front tyre touched it so much it wore through 10 layers of wrap and wore the spring down to the bare metal! Mongolia and its corrugated tracks killed many cars and bikes on the rally yet I had zero problems or failures… I didn’t even replace a cable and the standard tyres took me 8000 miles! I easily could have washed it and rode her home again, quite remarkable and all on a machine that cost less than £1800! “I donated the bike to charity at the end and although happy I left the Apache with a heavy heart as we had been though so much together!”

“I hope that people will see that they don’t need a huge £10,000 motorcycle to go on a real adventure; I did this in record time on a 125cc and there’s no reason why others can’t do the same… So grab a Sinnis Apache, throw on your luggage and enjoy the ride!